WO1999017035A1

WO1999017035A1 - Power guide chain

Info

Publication number: WO1999017035A1
Application number: PCT/DE1998/002786
Authority: WO
Inventors: Günter Blase; Kurt Fischer
Original assignee: Igus Spritzgussteile für die Industrie GmbH
Priority date: 1997-09-29
Filing date: 1998-09-19
Publication date: 1999-04-08
Also published as: DE19742861C1

Abstract

The supporting groove (1) of a power guide chain with a non-linear travel path is provided with various travel paths for easy adjustability and comprises several guiding members (3) which are secured to at least one fixing device (track) to provide support and/ or lateral guidance for said power guide chain. The fixing device can be deformed (2) or sections thereof can pivot before the supporting groove is secured to a supporting construction in order to enable the guiding members to be adjusted in their position on the respective travel.

Description

Support channel for energy chains

The invention relates to a support trough for energy guide chains with a non-linear travel path, consisting of several guide elements for supporting and / or lateral guidance of the energy guide chain, which are fastened to at least one holding element.

Support channels or laying troughs for linearly movable energy supply chains are known, for example, from German utility model G 295 11 726. Due to their rigid side walls or their rigid support, which supports the lower run or upper run of the energy chain, such storage trays are only suitable for linear guidance of energy chains.

However, for example from EP 0 277 398 or from DE 197 01 706 energy guiding chains for guiding cables, hoses or the like from a fixed to a movable connection point are known, which are guided on a curved, for example helical, path. Here, the energy supply chain can follow the course of a curve with an inclined position during its winding and unwinding movement, i. that is, the support of the energy supply chain transverse to its longitudinal direction is inclined.

Support channels for such energy guiding chains guided on a curved path have hitherto been produced from metal profiles, the support or storage for the energy guiding chain consisting of a band-shaped sheet which has been brought into the desired arched or helical shape, followed by the side walls the support channel was also bent accordingly and welded with the support for the energy chain. However, the production of such support channels is time-consuming and costly. In addition, the support channels prefabricated in this way take up a large transport volume, as a result of which the support channels only set up for a certain rolling radius of the energy chain and for a certain chain width and thus essentially represent custom-made products.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a support trough for energy guide chains which can be used in particular for energy guide chains which cannot be moved in a straight line, the support trough being easily adaptable to different energy guide chains and being easy to assemble and taking up a small transport volume.

The object is achieved in that, in the case of a support trough of the type mentioned at the outset, the holding element can be deformed or pivoted in sections before the support trough is fastened to a support structure, so that the position of the guide elements can be adapted to the respective travel path. The holding elements can, for. B. represent easily deformable areas of the support channel. The holding elements can already be preassembled to one another or can be connected to one another by corresponding connecting elements. For example, the support trough can be designed as a link chain made of plates, on which bases with oblique angles are fastened as guide elements. In a straight line arrangement, the support trough takes up a comparatively small transport volume, the individual holding elements being aligned with one another when the support trough is being built up, in order to be fastened to a support structure for the support trough, ie, for example, the flat surface. Due to the mutually angled holding elements, the support channel can easily be moved to different paths of the chain, for. B. can be adapted with different radii. If necessary, the placement radius can also be chosen so large that a linear or almost linear travel path of the energy chain is possible. The change in angle of the holding elements is preferably given in the horizontal direction, but a vertical change in angle may also be desirable, for example if the bending radius of the energy guiding chain has the desired height difference between The lower run and the lower run fall below and the upper run is guided along a run-up slope.

The extension of the guide elements in the longitudinal direction of the support trough is preferably less than or approximately equal to the width of the energy chain or the length of a few chain links.

The holding element can in particular be designed as a link chain consisting of plates, the guide elements being connected to the plates.

The holding element can thereby be continuously angled relative to one another, so that the support channel is preassembled in the desired shape and then fixed to the carrier by means of two or a few fastening elements. This considerably simplifies the assembly of the support channel.

Preferably, one or more plastically deformable rails or rods are provided as holding elements, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the support channel. The rails or rods, which are made of metallic materials, for example, can be easily adapted to different radii, especially if they are already preformed in a circular arc, e.g. can be radially expanded by manually applying opposite pressure to the respective ends and to the central region of the rail. A plurality of rods can also be provided, which limit the travel path of the energy supply chain laterally and / or downwards as support. The guide elements can, for example, be arranged above or to the side of the bars and attached to them.

A particularly simple embodiment is present when a band-shaped rail is used as the holding element, the rail being placed on its short edge, so that the longitudinal edge of the cross section runs essentially vertically when the rail is essentially rectangular in cross section. It can especially in the case of an arcuate shape, the rail has sufficient stability to be able to be fastened to its guide elements. The rail can also support the guide elements from below.

A particularly weight-saving embodiment is provided if the guide elements are mounted on the holding element at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction of the support channel. For certain applications it may be sufficient to provide guide elements only at larger distances from each other. This is particularly the case if self-supporting energy chains with sufficient inherent stability are used.

According to another embodiment, the holding element can form partial areas of the support of the energy supply chain, wherein they can be connected to one another in an articulated manner and pivoted horizontally relative to one another. The holding element can thus, for example, form a link chain consisting of link plates which can be pivoted in a horizontal plane, the individual holding elements being able to be fastened to one another by latching means, for example push buttons, or being fixed to one another in certain angular positions.

The holding element can also be designed by an elastically deformable rod or as joints between the guide areas.

The guide areas can be releasably attached to the holding elements or integrally formed on them. For example, it is possible to manufacture the support channel as a one-piece injection molded part.

The guide elements can be of an angular or U-shaped design, so that the energy supply chain can be supported on one or both sides by the support trough. Angular guide elements can also be attached on both sides of the support channel. If the guide elements surround the energy supply chain on both sides, it is advantageous if the guide elements are spaced laterally from one another in a stepless or stepwise manner, so that the width of the support channel can be adjusted, which is made possible, for example, by perforated plates or by C-shaped rails. As a result, the support trough can be adapted to energy chains with chain links of different widths.

The deformable holding element can extend, partially or completely, over the radially outer side of the curved support channel. The horizontal legs of the guide elements can taper to one end. If the guide elements are essentially angular or U-shaped, they can be arranged so as to abut one another on the radially outer side of the support channel, the horizontal limbs of the guide elements touching one another at the minimum radius of the support channel and providing continuous support for the energy supply chains . When the radius of the support channel is increased, the horizontal legs are spaced apart from one another with the formation of intermediate gaps.

If the guide elements are spherical at their horizontally and / or vertically arranged guide areas, the rounding of the mounting or contact areas for the energy chain makes it possible for the energy chain to travel smoothly and without jamming.

The guide elements can be detachably attached to the holding element by means of locking means or screw connections, but can also be integrally formed on them. In particular, the guide elements can be slidably fastened in the longitudinal direction of the support channel, so that the distance between the guide elements can be changed.

Devices are advantageously provided by means of which the inclination of the guide elements can be adjusted transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support channel to the horizontal. If energy chains are stored in a circular arc, the link plates are usually inclined to the horizontal in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the energy chain. With a different radius of the support trough, the inclination of the link plates to the horizontal changes accordingly. The adjustability of the inclination of the guide elements ensures that the orientation of the guide elements can be adapted to energy guiding chains with different laying radius. The inclination of the guide elements can be adjusted in stages or continuously. For this purpose, supports can be provided with set screws or, in another embodiment, sheets, in particular angled sheets with corresponding rows of holes or elongated holes, which can also extend in the form of a circular arc.

Fastening means which engage the guide elements and / or the holding elements can be provided for fastening the support trough. In an advantageous embodiment, guide elements with horizontally arranged legs are provided, which have lowered end regions which can be fixed to the support of the support trough by means of screw connections.

In order to enlarge the support surface of the energy supply chain, fastening plates are advantageously provided which support the energy supply chain. Advantageously, their inclination to the horizontal can be adjusted gradually or continuously. As a result, the support trough can be adapted to energy guiding chains which have a different inclination of their chain links transversely to the longitudinal direction of the energy guiding chain. To adjust the inclination of the fastening plates, wedge-shaped spacers can be provided, in particular, which have, for example, several inclined steps. The mounting plates can be arranged on each of the guide elements. However, it is often sufficient to provide the fastening plates only on a few of the guide elements. The fastening plates can be fixed on the spacers or also on the guide elements, for example by means of screw connections, wherein the spacers can be mounted on the support of the support channel. The fastening plates can also have further fastening devices which, for example, fix the end link of the energy chain on the support trough.

The fastening plates can advantageously be fastened adjacent to the horizontal legs of the angular guide elements or to the support of the support channel.

In order to align the fastening plates with respect to the guide elements and to facilitate pivoting relative to one another, the fastening plates and / or the guide elements can have projections which engage in one another in a web-like manner.

The stationary end of the energy supply chain can be fastened to the support trough by means of a separate connection element, in particular to the guide elements or a fastening plate. The connecting element can have a receptacle for the hinge pin, by means of which adjacent link plates can be angled relative to one another.

Advantageously, the connection element on the mounting plate is slidably fixed, so that with different inclination of the mounting plate to the support of the support channel, the connection element can be moved relative to the mounting plate, so that the connection element does not collide with a vertical leg of the guide elements or a holding element. For this purpose, the connection elements can be provided with elongated holes, for example.

In order to additionally support the upper run of the energy supply chain, which is advantageous in the case of long unsupported lengths or highly loaded energy supply chains, one or more free-standing supports can be provided which are provided with guide elements on the upper side. The guide elements the supports limit the travel of the energy chain on both sides. Advantageously, the guide elements can be adjusted stepwise or continuously in their inclination to the horizontal transverse to the longitudinal direction of the support channel, as can the width of the intermediate space.

The invention is explained below and illustrated by way of example in the drawings. Show it:

1 is a plan view of a lower support channel,

2 a guide element in side view (left), in top view (middle) and in frontal view (right),

3 shows a partial area of a support trough according to FIG. 1 with an energy chain,

4 is a mounting plate in plan view (left) and in cross section along the line A-D,

5 a spacer in top view (left) and in side view (right),

6 shows several partial views of the support channel with energy chain in different angles of inclination,

7 is a connection element in plan view (left) and in side view (right),

8 shows a partial area of the support trough in cross section with the lower run and upper run stored,

9 is an angle element in a side view (above) and in plan view (below),

10 is a support trough according to FIG. 1 with different equipment on guide elements, 11 is a support trough according to FIG. 10 without fastening plates and supports inclined by spacers for guide elements of the upper run,

12 is a plan view of holding elements of a support trough according to a second embodiment (above) and a partial view of a support trough in cross section (below),

Fig. 13 is a side view of a guide element

11, and (on the same side as FIG. 7), a side view of a guide element of a support trough according to FIG. 12,

Fig. 14 is a support channel with guide elements of a third

Embodiment in side view (top left) and in top view (bottom left) as well as side views of two individual guide elements.

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of part of a lower support channel for the storage of the lower run of an energy chain, which is stored in a circular arc. The support trough 1 has a rail-shaped holding element 2 and a plurality of spaced-apart, angular-shaped guide elements 3, with a fastening plate 4 inclined to the horizontal being provided on the horizontal leg of the guide elements, which is supported by two wedge-shaped spacers 5 provided with steps.

As shown, the holding rail 2 can have regions 6 which are angled with respect to one another or can also have an ideal circular arc shape. The holding rail 2 is band-shaped and consists of a preferably plastically deformable material such as aluminum, so that the rail can be bent to different radii. It is sufficient to measure the thickness of the rail so that it enables the guide elements to be pre-oriented. When the energy chain is placed in the support channel on the Forces acting forces can be almost completely absorbed by screw connections 7, by means of which the guide elements are attached to the substrate. However, the wall thickness of the rail is dimensioned in this embodiment such that it is still flexible, but already has considerable stability, so that only two or a few guide elements have to be fastened to the base in order to create a sufficiently dimensionally stable support channel.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the guide elements are configured essentially at right angles and are fixed to the holding rail 2 with their vertical leg 8. The leg 8 overlaps the rail 2 with the projection 9 and supports it with the resilient web 10, so that the guide element 3 made of plastic is locked and displaceably fixed to the rail. The vertical leg 8 is spherical in its upper region 11, this region being rounded off both in the vertical and in the horizontal direction.

The substantially horizontal leg 12 of the guide elements 3 is also rounded in the vertical as well as in the horizontal direction. Due to the rounding of the two legs of the guide elements 3, the chain link of the energy guide chain supported by the respective guide element rests only on a narrow area, so that in the case of different inclinations of the chain link relative to the guide element, a corresponding contact area is provided and projecting areas of the guide elements which are quiet Would disrupt the course of the energy supply chain.

The corner regions 13 of the horizontal leg 12 are lowered relative to the spherical support region 14 and are provided with through openings for receiving screws or the like, so that the guide elements can be fastened to a substructure. A web 15 is provided between the corner regions 13 and prevents the energy guiding chain to the lowered corner areas 13 and which, if the guide element is provided with a fastening plate 4, facilitates its alignment with respect to the guide element 3.

Both to save weight and to improve the damping properties of the guide elements, the legs 8, 12 are designed as laterally open hollow chambers divided by a central wall 16.

The guide elements 3 are designed in a wedge or trapezoidal shape with respect to their plan, as can be seen in the plan view, so that a circular arc results from the abutment of a plurality of guide elements with their narrow sides. This defines the minimum radius of the support channel. When the support channel is widened to a larger radius, the guide elements still result in an essentially continuous support, as can be seen from FIG. 10, left side.

3 and 4 show a guide element 3 with a fastening plate 4 arranged on them, which is supported by spacers 5. The mounting plate 4 has four stepped bores 17, which are widened into elongated holes in their upper area, so that the mounting plate 4 can be fastened in different inclinations to the horizontal by means of screw connections, for example on the ground. For this purpose, the spacers 5 are provided with through openings 18 which can be arranged in alignment with the stepped bores 17, so that the spacers 5 can be fixed on the substrate via the screw connections for fastening plates.

On the flat top of the mounting plate 4, an angular connecting element 20 is fastened by means of the screw connection 19, to which the end link 21 of the energy chain is fastened.

The arrangement of mounting plates 4 on the guide elements ten 3 is particularly advantageous if the support channel has a large radius or if heavy energy chains are to be supported. Because the connecting element 20 is only provided on the first guide element 3 of the support channel, the fastening plate 4 additionally supports the chain link of the energy guiding chain placed on the fastening plate 4, preferably over the entire or more than half the width. Otherwise, it is often sufficient if the chain links are only supported in some areas by the horizontal or vertical legs of the guide elements 3, since the inherent rigidity of the energy guide chain is sufficient to prevent sagging from its inclined position or slipping off the guide elements.

According to FIG. 4, the mounting plate 4 is wedge-shaped in vertical and horizontal section and is provided with two feet 22, 23 on its narrow sides. Stepped bores 17 with funnel-shaped extensions 24 are provided in the feet, so that the fastening plate can be fastened to the spacers 5 in different inclinations by means of screws. The central region of the mounting plate 4 has a plurality of through openings 25 which are used to attach a connection element 20. The narrow side of the mounting plate 4, which are provided with the feet of lower height (feet 22), has a slot 26 which can accommodate the web 15 of the guide elements 3 with little play. The underside of the feet 22 is provided with a curved contour 27, which rolls on the spherically shaped corner area 13 of the guide elements 3 when the inclination of the fastening plate 4 changes in the radial direction.

5 are essentially wedge-shaped and, in the exemplary embodiment shown, have six different steps 28 of different heights and with differently inclined upper sides, which are separated from one another by slots 29 which extend over almost the entire height of the steps. The spacers 5 are essentially designed as hollow profiles. The box Like steps 28 have on their top through openings 30 on which the stepped bores 17 of the mounting plate 4 can be arranged in alignment. In each case one of the feet 23 of the mounting plate 4 can be placed on one of the steps 28, so that the mounting plate 4 can be stably positioned on the spacer 5 with different inclinations and attached to a base.

As shown in FIG. 6, the fastening plate can be arranged in six different inclinations by means of the spacers 5 by selecting the corresponding step 28. The angles of inclination are matched to different designs of energy chains, each with different radii. Thus, with a different circle radius of the energy chain, which is designed, for example, according to DE 197 01 706, there is a different angle of inclination of the chain links to the horizontal when the energy chain is stored. The angle of inclination increases with decreasing chain radius. The spacer can also have a different number of steps 28 or enable a continuous adjustment of the inclination of the fastening plate 4, for which purpose an adjusting screw can be provided, for example.

As can further be seen from FIG. 6, the fastening plate 4 supports the chain links over the entire width or over a part thereof, preferably over more than half the width, wherein the chain links can have intermediate webs 31 which are connected to the fastening plate (according to FIG. 6 come with the connecting element) to the system. Furthermore, it can be seen that the link plates of the crowned support areas of the vertical or horizontal legs of the guide elements 3 only come into contact in a smaller area 32 or 33. This also applies if no fastening plates 4 are assigned to the guide elements 3.

Fig. 7 shows an angular connecting element 20 with a long leg 34 for resting on the mounting plate and a short, substantially vertically arranged leg 35 for fastening the link plate of the end link of the energy chain.

As can be seen from FIG. 6, with different inclinations of the fastening plate 4, the connecting element 20 has to be displaced relative to it, so that the upper end of the leg 35 is positioned in the immediate vicinity of the guide element 3. For this purpose, elongated holes 36 are provided in the connection element 20, which can be arranged in alignment with the passage openings 25 of the fastening plate 4. The leg 34 also has a plurality of bores 37, to which a comb-like plate can be fastened, the cables or the like guided in the energy guide chain or the like being secured against transverse displacement on the teeth of the plate. Alternatively, strain relief could also be provided.

The leg 35 is provided with a recess 38 for receiving the hinge pin of the chain link of the end link of the energy guiding chain and with a plurality of bores 39 for securing the chain link in a rotationally secure manner. The chain link is fastened to it on the side of the leg 35 opposite the leg 34.

8 shows a cross section of a partial area of a support trough, the lower run of the energy guide chain being stored in a support trough 1 in accordance with FIG is provided, which can be fixed to the substructure at different distances from one another and which are constructed identically to the guide elements 3 of the support channel 1. The support 39a is free-standing in the sense that it is arranged independently of the support trough 1 and the guide for the upper run does not have to continuously change into the guide for the lower run. The substructure 40 has two identical angle plates 41 which are fastened to one another with their vertical legs. As is apparent from Fig. 9, the vertical Leg 42 is essentially wedge-shaped and provided with arcuate or obliquely arranged elongated holes 43, the inclination of the guide elements 3 being changeable by pivoting the angle plates 41 relative to one another. The inclination of the guide elements 3 can also be changed by other devices.

The leg 43, which is arranged horizontally according to FIGS. 8 and 9, is equipped with two rows of holes 44, so that the guide elements 3 mounted on the angle plate 41 can be spaced from one another in steps and thus adjusted to the width of the chain links. The inclination of the upper run to the horizontal is thus reversed and set equal to the inclination of the lower run, which can be done in stages or continuously, independently of one another.

As can also be seen from FIG. 8, the end link of the upper run is connected via two angle plates 41 to a driver, not shown, of an electrical device, so that the lower edge of the driver can run horizontally when the chain link is arranged at an incline. The rounded design of the horizontal leg of the guide elements 3 also serves as a run-up slope for the upper run.

As can be seen from FIG. 10, the guide elements 3 can be arranged abutting or spaced apart on the rail-shaped holding element. The support of the lower run and its lateral guidance is provided by the segmented guide elements 3, which are adapted in their position to the travel of the lower run by the curvature of the deformable rail-shaped holding element 2. To further support the lower run, additional fastening plates 4, which can be arranged inclined with the aid of spacers 5, are fastened in larger segment sections to some guide elements.

If the energy chain is sufficiently stable, especially if the chains are not too long, supply plates 4 can also be dispensed with entirely. As is apparent from Fig. 11, the support channel consists only of laterally narrow or spaced apart guide elements 3 with essentially horizontal support and substantially vertical lateral guide surfaces on which the inclined chain is supported. To support the lower run, it is often sufficient to provide only a few fastening plates 4. The lower run and its lateral guidance are supported by individual segments or guide elements, the position of which can be adjusted relative to one another.

A further embodiment is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, in which a plurality of rods 46 a-d which are curved in the shape of a circular arc and each have different radii of curvature are provided as the holding element. The rods, each with the smallest and largest radius of curvature, serve to hold or stabilize the side parts of the support channel 46a, 46d, the two middle rods 46b, c serve to stabilize the support for the energy chain, as can be seen from the overview of FIG. 12 above and below . The upper run is guided on a support channel that is independent of that of the lower run.

The U-shaped guide elements 47, which support the energy guide chain or limit the travel thereof laterally, have elongated, segment-like incisions 48 with undercuts into which the round bars 46 can be clipped. For further fastening of the bars 46, the guide elements 48 can be fastened by means of locking screws, not shown. The stepped bores 49 are used for attachment to the underground. The round bars 46 a-d are provided at their ends with bent areas 50, which facilitate threading the energy chain into the support channel. The inclined 51 energy supply chain can be supported with horizontally arranged elements 47.

The guide elements 47 are spaced apart from one another attached to the bars 46 and, compared to the length of the bars, have a comparatively small extension along the support channel, for example a few centimeters, so that the radius of the support channel can be adapted to the storage radius of the energy guide chain by bending the bars. For certain applications, it may already be sufficient to provide only one or two of the bars 46a-d, the cross section of the bars not being limited to round bars.

FIG. 14 shows a further embodiment, in which the holding elements are designed as cranked link plates 52, which overlap one another in the cranked regions and can engage in different angular positions. The tabs are connected in a latching manner by means of pins 59. On the top of the tabs 52, bases 53 are integrally formed. The bases 53 have passage openings running in the longitudinal direction of the tabs, in which locking screws 54 are mounted, which serve as axes of rotation and locking devices for the angular guide elements 55 which are adjustable in inclination. On the undersides of the guide elements 55, webs 57 are provided with a row of holes 56, each of which grips through the locking screws of one of the holes 56. The width of the support channel can be adjusted by selecting the perforation. The bases 57 are gripped on both sides by the base. The structurally identical guide elements 55 protrude with their vertical legs 58 alternately over the two long sides of the tabs, so that an energy guide chain can be guided on both sides.

Claims

Support channel for cable drag chains

1. Support channel (1) for energy guiding chains with a non-linear travel path, consisting of several guiding elements (3; 47; 55) for supporting and / or lateral guiding of the energy guiding chain, which is attached to at least one holding element (rail (2); rod (46); chain link (52)) are attached, which is deformable (2; 46) or pivotable in sections (52) before the support channel is fastened to a supporting structure, so that the position of the guide elements (3; 47; 55) depends on the respective travel path. can be fit.

2. Support trough according to claim 1, so that the holding element is designed as a link chain consisting of plates (52) and the guide elements (55) are connected to the plates (52).

3. Support trough according to claim 1, so that one or more plastically deformable rails (2) or bars (46) are provided as the holding element, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the support trough (1).

4. Support trough according to one of claims 1 to 3, so that the guide elements (3; 47; 55) are mounted on the holding element at a distance from one another.

5. Support channel according to one of claims 1 to 4, - characterized in that the guide elements (3; 47; 55) are angular or U-shaped with a substantially horizontal leg (12) and one or two substantially vertical legs .

Support trough according to claim 5, characterized in that the horizontal legs (12) of the guide elements (3) taper in width to one end.

Support channel according to claim 5 or 6, so that the guide elements (3; 47) are spherical on their legs arranged essentially horizontally and / or vertically.

Support channel according to one of claims 1 to 7, so that the guide elements (3; 47; 55) can be adjusted transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support channel (1) in their inclination to the horizontal.

9. support channel according to one of claims 1 to 8, d a - d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that on the guide elements (3; 47) arranged guide plates (4) are provided for further support of the energy chain.

10. Support channel according to claim 9, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the inclination of the mounting plates (4) to the horizontal transverse to the longitudinal direction of the support channel (1) is gradually adjustable.

11. Support channel according to claim 10, d a d u r c h g e k e n e z e i c h n e t that substantially wedge-shaped spacers (5) are provided to adjust the inclination of the mounting plates (4), the several steps (28) of different heights and with different inclinations

Have tops on which the mounting plates (4) can be placed.

12. Support channel according to claim 5 and one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the Fastening plates (4), adjacent to the horizontal legs (12) of the angular guide elements (3), can be fastened to them.

13. Support channel according to claim 12, that the fastening plates (4) and the guide elements (3) have web-like interlocking projections (15) for fastening to one another.

14. Support trough according to one of claims 1 to 13, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that a connecting element (20) for fixing the stationary end of the energy chain on a mounting plate (4) transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support trough (1) is slidably mountable.

15. Support channel according to one of claims 1 to 14, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that one or more free-standing supports (39 a) are provided to support the upper run, which are provided with guide elements (3; 47).

16. support channel according to claim 15, d a d u r c h g e k e n n - indicates that the guide elements (3; 47) on the support (39a) limit the travel of the energy chain on both sides.